The Best Bikes You Can Buy From YT Industries

YT Industries is a German-based upstart that was founded in 2007 by ex-professional weight lifter Markus Flossman, who decided to eschew retailers and sell his bikes direct to consumer. The move may have ruffled some feathers in the bike industry, but it’s hard to argue with the results: YT offers some of the best “bang for your buck” mountain bikes on the market. YT (YT stands for “Young Talent”) didn’t infiltrate the U.S. until 2015, but it hit the ground running by signing one of the top names in mountain biking: Aaron Gwin. Gwin promptly won the 2016 World Cup Downhill Championship on a YT steed, and repeated that championship in 2017. Other YT riders quickly racked up the podium finishes with a Red Bull Rampage victory, a US Downhill National Championship, and the Guinness World Record for the longest dirt-to-dirt backflip (courtesy of Cam Zink).

Focused on Affordability

Flossman started the company as a way to provide young rippers with good bikes. He was at a jump park one day watching a couple of teenagers send jumps on department store clunkers, because they couldn’t afford anything better. They had talent, but their bikes were holding them back. Flossman figured if he sold bikes directly to the rider, skipping the wholesalers and retailers, he could keep the prices affordable. YT started with 150 steel dirt jumpers, but has since carried its signature balance of performance and price into a full line of mountain bikes, with full-suspension downhill, enduro, and trail bikes loaded with high-end components that carry a hardtail’s price tag.

Expanding Design Boundaries

While YT is better known as an industry disruptor than an innovator, it continues to make intriguing design choices that help distinguish the brand beyond just undercutting the market. In 2018, it revised its two most popular bikes, the downhill TUES and enduro Jeffsy, by opting for a new 1x11 e*thirteen cassette over the more popular SRAM Eagle 12-speed. And it brought back a slick version of that original steel dirt jumper, but used a technique called “hydroforming” to shape the chromoly steel frame to add durability. Each bike is designed with incredibly low stand over, so sizing is more about finding the right reach for you. The brand has also gained a reputation for selling aluminum versions of its bikes with high-performance components typically reserved for pricier all-carbon models. In fact, it just released a limited edition of its enduro bike, CAPRA 27 AL, that’s stamped proudly “100% carbon free.”

Here are our favorite bikes from YT Industries.

Dirt Love

The right bike for: Riders who want to send it at the bike parkPrice: $1,299 Buy Now

This is the bike that started it all for YT, or at least, this is the evolution of the bike that started it all. The Dirt Love is a dirt jumper with a chromoly frame that’s built to handle tough landings, thanks in part to the hydroforming of the steel tubes and the internal gussets that reinforce the top tube and down tube. It’s kitted out with new compact dropouts with integrated chain tensioners, a RockShox Pike DJ fork, and Kore Rivera handlebar, stem, and grips. If you’re looking to top Cam Zink’s backflip record, this is the bike for you.

TUES CF Pro Race

The right bike for: Winning downhill championships, or getting on the Strava leaderboardPrice: $5,499 Buy Now

This is the bike that Aaron Gwin rides in the World Cup Downhill. Straight out of the box. It even has the same paint job. And YT continues to revise key aspects of this downhill machine, completely revamping the frame, suspension, and components with feedback from Gwin himself. The TUES is race-ready with the highly adjustable Fox 40 FLOAT fork and Fox FLOAT X2 Factory shock, SRAM X01 DH 7-speed derailleur and SRAM X0 trigger, and all sorts of e*thirteen parts, from the cassette to the bottom bracket to the carbon wheelset. There are five sizes, all with low stand over and seat tube heights, so you can pick the reach that works best for you regardless of your height. As if winning a couple of World Cup championships isn’t enough, the TUES CF Pro Race also made our list of best downhill bikes you can buy in 2018.

TUES AL

The right bike for: Riders who want to shred on an aluminum framePrice: $2,699 Buy Now

An aluminum version of the 27.5 TUES was released in fall 2018, for an affordable price. It’s the same frame design as the carbon model, and enjoys the same updates, although it does have a slightly different suspension platform than the carbon version. But that’s not to say the suspension is “lesser.” It’s just different. The TUES AL is fit with a Fox 40 Float Performance Elite fork and Fox Van Performance shock for 203mm of travel in the front and 200mm in the back. YT’s love affair with e*thirteen continues with an e*thirteen wheelset and cassette. To put it simply, the value you get with this bike is off the charts.

Jeffsy 29 CF Pro

The right bike for: Riders who want to comfortably manage rough downhillsPrice: $3,999 Buy Now

YT’s Jeffsy is a trail bike with serious downhill chops. To say it’s aggressive is an understatement, with gravity-inspired geometry, a super slack head tube angle, wide riser handlebar, low stand over, lots of reach, and short chainstays. Also cool: The length of the rear triangle is adjusted for each frame size to improve the handling. The Fox Float fork and Fox Float DPS shock both have 140mm of travel, and you get the new 1x11 e*thirteen cassette with a 511 percent gear range. Our reviewer of the Jeffsy was really impressed with how well it climbed, but this bike really excels in the corners and the rough stuff on the downhill. Full Review

Capra 27 CF Pro Race

The right bike for: Riders who want to spend their days crushing enduro trailsPrice: $5,199 Buy Now

If you think the Jeffsy likes to go downhill, wait until you get a hold of the Capra, YT’s enduro bike that’s available with 27.5- or 29-inch wheels. It’s built with a slack head tube and long wheelbase/short chainstays for an enduro bike that feels like a mini downhill rig. The Virtual 4 Link suspension was revised this year for more mid-stroke support and overall efficient pedaling. The bike has 180mm of travel with the Fox 36 Float Factory fork and Fox Float X2 Factory shock and the new 1x11 e*thirteen cassette with 511 percent gear range, and the Fox Transfer Factory dropper can be fine-tuned so you get the return speed you want. People love this bike, so much so, that YT has had a hard time keeping it in stock. So, plan ahead.

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